Several hundred protesters gathered outside the Treasury Secretary’s beige brick split-level home on a leafy street in Bethesda at 5 p.m. to sing, pray and try to deliver a letter requesting that he meet with them. But no one opened the door.

“Wall Street crashed our economy and the regular citizens of the United States are tired of being marginalized,” Bobby Tolbert, of New York, one of the group’s organizers, said on the street in front of Mr. Geithner’s house.

Mr. Tolbert and others present said the demonstration was organized by National People’s Action, an umbrella group of local and state community groups. The group’s website says it seeks “to advance a national economic and racial justice agenda.” A note posted on the group’s face book page said, “NPA is on Tim Geithner’s front lawn. We’re here to ask him to hold banks accountable for crashing our economy & stand with the 99%.”

Mr. Tolbert said the letter asks Mr. Geithner to launch an investigation into the causes of the 2008 financial crisis and impose a tax on the profits made from “speculative trades,” among other things.

About Washington Wire

Washington Wire is one of the oldest standing features in American journalism. Since the Wire launched on Sept. 20, 1940, the Journal has offered readers an informal look at the capital. Now online, the Wire provides a succession of glimpses at what’s happening behind hot stories and warnings of what to watch for in the days ahead. The Wire is led by Reid J. Epstein, with contributions from the rest of the bureau. Washington Wire now also includes Think Tank, our home for outside analysis from policy and political thinkers.